When Zohran Mamdani was declared New York City’s next mayor on Tuesday, he made history as the first Muslim mayor and the youngest to lead the city in over a century. Beside him, smiling quietly, was someone making history too: his wife, 28-year-old artist Rama Duwaji.
Their love story began not in City Hall, but on Hinge in 2021, shortly after Mamdani was elected to the New York State Assembly. Rama, a Syrian-American illustrator from Brooklyn, wasn’t familiar with politics, and Mamdani wasn’t seeking the spotlight. Their first date was coffee at Qahwah House and a walk in McCarren Park; the second was a tour of his Astoria neighborhood. By October 2024, they were engaged.
Soon after, Mamdani launched his mayoral campaign. The couple celebrated their nikah and engagement party in Dubai that December, a rooftop ceremony overlooking the Burj Khalifa adorned with white roses and greenery. In February 2025, they had a civil ceremony at the City Clerk’s Office in Lower Manhattan, marked by a candid black-and-white photo of them on the subway. Mamdani later emphasized that while critics could question his politics, Rama deserves recognition for herself.
Born in Houston and raised partly in Dubai, Rama returned to the U.S. to study at Virginia Commonwealth University and earn a master’s in illustration from the School of Visual Arts. Her work, featured in The Cut, Vogue, The New Yorker, and BBC, focuses on identity, womanhood, and displacement, often highlighting Middle Eastern women and the Palestinian cause. She has over 250,000 Instagram followers and also enjoys hand-painted ceramics.
Rama has played a quiet but crucial role in Mamdani’s rise, helping design his campaign branding, even if she avoided traditional “first lady” duties. Now, as they prepare to move into Gracie Mansion, Rama will become New York City’s first Gen Z First Lady. Whether behind the scenes or in advocacy, she’s redefining the role of a political partner for the modern era.